Joanna Allhands: Kami Gilstrap died after a stray bullet hit her in the chest. This should anger every responsible shooter who fires in the desert.

I’ve seen it before. Many times before. All over the trails that ring metro Phoenix.

People think that because they’re out in the desert, they can make a mess of the place. They leave their empty bullet casings, their spent shotgun shells, their empty ammo boxes and their obliterated targets.

Even worse, they ignore the fourth rule of gun safety – to always be sure of your target and what’s behind it. Some think that if they’re relatively close to a mountain, they’re shooting safely. Others just set up anywhere they can find a clearing. You can see exactly where they’ve shot by the mess they’ve left behind.

The view north of Tonopah Salome Highway in Buckeye, where some people say shooters routinely fire too close to ATV trails. Kami Gilstrap was killed by a stray bullet in the area on Jan. 14, 2018. Jessica Boehm/The Republic

The view south of Tonopah Salome Highway in Buckeye where hundreds of target shooters gather each weekend. Kami Gilstrap was killed by a stray bullet in the area on Jan. 14, 2018. Jessica Boehm/The Republic

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And, now, this irresponsible behavior has cost someone her life. A stray bullet struck Kami Gilstrap, 24, in the chest Sunday afternoon near Buckeye. People were shooting targets near Miller Road and Tonopah Salome Highway – a place that’s also popular with ATV riders.

Whoever fired the shot probably had no idea – and still may not – that he or she killed someone.

Guys. This is not what target shooting is about. It’s about being responsible stewards of the areas where we shoot. It’s about picking up everything we carry in – including all of your shooting trash.

And it’s being darn sure that before you ever pull the trigger, you’ve got a fail-safe backstop. Because every shot you take has the potential to travel far beyond where you are, particularly if you miss your target.